The present invention relates to an output hopper apparatus receiving cards from processing stations and transferring cards onto sorted and ordered stacks. Card output hopper mechanisms are widely used in systems for embossing and processing cards requiring stacking and sorting. The output hopper apparatus receives cards from the processing modules and stacks the cards on a proper card stack in proper sequence.
Prior methods of stacking and sorting processed cards have many associated problems. Cards often jam in the mechanism or are stacked in the wrong order. This often causes problems in identifying and processing the cards. In addition to clogging the mechanism with jammed cards, jamming damages the cards. This requires re-embossing of the damaged cards and additional delays and costs. Prior methods of stacking used deflecting arms for deflecting only. The cards are not driven by the deflecting arms onto the card stacks. Cards are pushed onto the card stacks by additional driving rollers or by the next card. This method leads to cards being inserted in the stack in the wrong order and causes problems in further processing.
The present invention addresses these problems associated with stacking and sorting processed cards. It is apparent that an improved mechanism and method for receiving processed cards and properly sorting and stacking the cards are needed. The present invention solves these problems and others associated with stacking and sorting processed cards.